Khanchanjunga Base Camp Trek in Nepal offers an awe-inspiring journey through the majestic Kanchenjunga region, home to Mount Kanchenjunga, the world’s third-highest peak at 8,586 meters. Revered as the “queen of mountains,” the Kanchenjunga region enchants trekkers with its breathtaking landscape adorned with towering Himalayan peaks soaring above 7,000 meters. This pristine wilderness is a haven of ecological diversity, featuring subtropical lands transitioning into glacial expanses, and harboring a rich array of flora and fauna. Opened to trekking tourism in 1988, this remote region promises an unforgettable adventure, albeit one that demands a moderate to strenuous level of physical exertion.
Beginning and concluding at the Suketar airstrip in the far eastern corner of Nepal, the Khanchanjunga trek winds its way through enchanting forests, captivating villages, and remote traditional settlements. Along the journey, trekkers encounter the warm hospitality of the Sherpas in the northern part of the region, while also experiencing the cultural richness of ethnic groups like the Rai, Limbus, Magars, Tamangs, Brahmans, and Chhetris inhabiting the southern lower reaches. The trail unveils panoramic vistas of the Kanchenjunga South and North Base Camps, each offering spellbinding views of the surrounding mountain peaks, pristine mountain rivers, and the timeless charm of traditional Nepalese village life.
Here are some highlights of Kanchenjunga Base Camp Trek in Nepal:
1. Panoramic Mountain Views: The trek provides breathtaking views of neighboring peaks, including Frey Peak (5830m), Koktang (6,148m), Kabru Peak (7,412m), Ratong, Chandra Peak, and the Kabru Dome (6600m). These majestic peaks adorn the horizon, creating a stunning backdrop throughout the journey.
2. Trek to the Base Camp of the Third-Highest Mountain: Embarking on this trek allows you to reach the base camp of Kanchenjunga, the third-highest mountain in the world. Standing at the foot of this towering peak is an awe-inspiring experience, offering a profound connection with nature and the Himalayan landscape.
3. Tour of Sikkim Tea Garden: Immerse yourself in the tranquility of Sikkim’s lush tea gardens as you take a tour of a local tea estate. Learn about the various types of teas cultivated in the region, from delicate green teas to robust black teas, and witness the meticulous process of tea production. This immersive experience allows you to appreciate the beauty of nature while indulging in the rich flavors of Sikkim’s renowned teas.
4. Interaction with Remote Villages: Along the trekking route, you’ll have the opportunity to meet and greet people from remote villages nestled in the Himalayan foothills. Experience their unique culture, traditions, and way of life, gaining insight into the resilience and warmth of mountain communities. Engage in meaningful exchanges, share stories, and forge unforgettable connections with the locals.
5. Monastery Tour: Explore the vibrant culture of Sikkim by embarking on a monastery tour. Visit ancient monasteries adorned with colorful prayer flags and intricate Buddhist artwork, immersing yourself in the spiritual ambiance of these sacred sites. Witness traditional rituals, chants, and ceremonies, and gain a deeper understanding of the rich religious heritage that permeates the region.
Overall, the Kanchenjunga Base Camp Trek offers a perfect blend of natural beauty, cultural immersion, and adventure, making it a truly unforgettable journey for trekkers seeking a profound Himalayan experience.
Welcome to Himalayan country of Nepal. Upon your arrival at the Tribhuvan intl. airport our representative welcomes you and assists to transfer in your hotel in Kathmandu (1,400m). After time to get refreshed, evening you will meet and transfer for welcome dinner in one of the typical Nepalese restaurant in the heart of Kathmandu and after meal briefing about your trip. Overnight at Hotel.
Today, morning we will ready after your breakfast to head on for our relaxing guided day trip to world heritage sites in Kathmandu valley and visit the highlights of Kathmandu and the surrounding areas. We take you to visit the pilgrimage sites of Hindus temple Pashupatinath, one of the most important shrine of Shiva temples on the subcontinent which is place of thousand of devotees, Saddhus (holy men/Baba), and can be seen the cremating body most of the times in the holy riverbank of Bagmati. Hundreds of monkeys are giggling with you and take a time to exploring surrounding area and visit Bouddhanath stupa an another pilgrimage centre which is most popular and important place for Buddhist. You can explore with rounding prayer wheel and flattering colorful flag with melodious chanting noise. After your lunch at Bouddha visit Swoyambhunath stupa also known as monkey temple covering wide range of area with highest point of Kathmandu valley and enjoy the 360 degrees of valley view. After exploring the surrounding areas visit to Kathmandu Durbar Square which is old royal palace of Kathmandu and can be seen lot of temple, architectures and Kumari (living goddess) and walk in a freak street and late afternoon back to hotel and evening briefing about your trip, what is your responsibility, what to do and does not in the trek? Introduce with our fellow trekking staff and chances to ask remaining question and simply relax at the hotel. Overnight at hotel.
We catch early morning scenic flight to Bhadrapur. After landing, we take a jeep ride to Ilam enjoying the view of beautiful landscapes. Ilam is Nepal’s largest tea plantation area and serves as a major tourist area even for domestic tourists. The picturesque town of Ilam hosts large orchards of tea plants and is also famous for the Himalayan chew made of cheese. Overnight at hotel in Ilam.
Today, we head towards Taplejung in private transportation. Driving along the beautiful countryside view, we pass through Phidim, Taplejung, Mitlung to Chirwa. Overnight in Chirwa.
Trekking through the villages of Taplethok, Tamewa, Hellok, and Lelep, we move alongside Tamor River and descend towards Simbu Khola, which emerges from the Yalung Glacier. We then trek through steep and narrow Ghunsa Khola valley to finally arrive in Sukathum. Overnight in Sukathum.
Moving with the flow of Ghunsa Khola, we head towards Amjilosa walking through steep uphill on exposed terrain. Relishing the amazing landscape view and crossing several bridges over Ghunsa Khola, we reach the Tibetan village of Amjilosa. Overnight in Amjilosa.
Today, we walk through forested trail filled with rhododendrons and bamboo, before ascending to Gyabla. We also come across a big waterfall on the opposite side of the river on our way to Gyabla. Making a steep ascent and then a descent, we arrive in Gyabla. Overnight in Gyabla.
Leaving behind the beautiful Gyabla village, we trek towards Ghunsa through a broad meadow. We then climb a small hill and descend to cross the river to reach the Tibetan village of Ghunsa with wooden houses, a micro hydropower plant, school, and a health post. Overnight in Ghunsa.
To adjust with the thinning air, we take a short hike to the opposite side of Ghunsa Khola with a gain of about 400m. After returning from the hike, we can spend rest of the day exploring the ancient village of Ghunsa visiting monasteries and learning about their Buddhist culture and tradition. Overnight in Ghunsa.
Today, we begin our trek entering the forested path along the south bank of Ghunsa Khola and passing several Mani walls and Chortens along the way. We also trek through several scree slopes and some glacial moraines to reach the Tibetan settlement of Khangpachen from where we can get the stunning view of the north face of Jannu (7710m). Overnight in Khangpachen.
Leaving behind Khangpachen, we follow the trail on the left side of Kanchenjunga Glacier. We hike along a high plateau to reach the campsite of Lhonak. From Lhonak, we can see the panoramic view of massive mountain peaks like Wegde Peak (6802m), Mera Peak (6364m), Nepal Peak (7177m), Twins (7350m), and many others. Overnight in Lhonak.
Today, we head towards Kanchenjunga Base Camp following the trail along the glaciers on the northern ridges. The camp is also known as Pang Pema from where we get the mesmerizing and spectacular view of Mt Kanchenjunga (8586m) along with the skyline filled with snow-capped mountain ranges bordering Nepal-India and Nepal-Tibet. And back to Lhonak. Overnight in Lhonak.
After the amazing experience in KBC, we retrace our trail to Ghunsa enjoying the spectacular view of different mountains. Descending past Lhonak and Khangpachen while walking on the moraines of Kanchenjunga Glacier and Kumbhakarna Glacier, we arrive in Ghunsa. Overnight in Ghunsa.
To reach the High Camp, we trek along a steep rocky trail through a forested area filled with birch, pine, and colorful rhododendron. An amazing view of Jannu (7710m), Nyukla Laching (6670m), Temachunggi (6044m), and other mountains can be observed from High Camp. Overnight in High Camp.
Today might be the most challenging day as we cross over two passes on our way to Tseram, the highest pass being the Sele La (4480m) and Sinion La (4660). Upon reaching the top of the passes, we are rewarded with an amazing view of Yalung Glacier, Jannu (7710m), Makalu (8481m), Baruntse (7129m), Kanchenjunga (8586m), and many other mountain ranges along the Sikkim border. We then descend to Tseram for an overnight stay.
Passing the moraines of Yalung Glacier into an ablation valley, we ascend towards Ramche. We also come across a lake and a meadow where we can spot the blue sheep grazing on the grassy hills. We will visit the small monastery in Ramche, in the evening. Overnight in Ramche
Today, we explore Yalung Base Camp area. Trekking through the glacial moraines and challenging rocky path, we cross Oktang, from where we can get a panoramic view of Jannu (7720m) and Kanchenjunga (8586m), and several other peaks. We return back to Ramche for an overnight stay.
Retracing the same trail, we trek towards Anda Phedi relishing the view of different mountain ranges and herds of blue sheep over the grassy slope. Descending through the moraines of Yalung Glacier, we walk past Lapsang and Tseram to arrive in Anda Phedi. Overnight in Anda Phedi.
We descend towards Tortong through the densely forested path filled with rhododendrons and bushes. We also stumble across few streams, Chortens, monasteries, ponds, and waterfalls on our way to Tortong. Overnight at Lodge.
We continue to descend to the Amji Khola and then crossing Lasiya Bhanjyang (3310m) and Dhupi Bhanjyang (2620m), we descend towards Yamphudim. Yamphudim is a village inhabited by a mixed community of Sherpa, Rai, Limbu, and Gurung. Overnight in Yamphudim.
Leaving behind the village of Yamphudim, we descend towards Khebang passing through valleys, waterfalls, and forest area. Crossing suspension bridges over several streams, we walk past small settlements alongside Kabeli Khola to arrive in Khebang. Overnight in Khebang.
Accompanied by the beautiful view of Kanchenjunga (8586m) and Kumbakaran/Jannu (7710m) in the background, we continue to trek towards Khanidingbe through lushly forested trail stumbling across several waterfalls along the way. Overnight in Khanidingbe.
We take a long drive to Birtamod enjoying the view of green hills, snow-capped mountains, rivers, and daily activities of the locals throughout the ride. From the mountainous part, we are now in the flatlands of Nepal. Overnight in Ilam.
We drive towards Bhadrapur airport to catch our flight back to the capital city. Enjoying the aerial view of the mountains, we arrive in Kathmandu. We transfer you to the hotel. Overnight at a 3-star hotel in Kathmandu.
After breakfast (or depending your flight schedule) we transfer to the airport final departure or follow your next adventures trip.
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We will be staying at 2/3 star hotel in Kathmandu, and in tea-houses during the trek. All rooms are on twin-shared basis. Single bedroom will be arranged on request and will cost additional. Fourteen Summit will arrange rooms with attached washrooms; however, tea-houses at some places only have shared washing and toilet facilities. Also note that single rooms are readily available in Kathmandu and in trekking regions at lower elevation but it might be difficult to find them at higher altitude.
All meals will be provided during trekking (On demand, we can arrange only breakfast during the trek and trekkers can order lunch and dinner individually from the tea-house menu). In Kathmandu, breakfast will be available. There will also be welcome and farewell dinners taking place for guests. While on trek, we have breakfast and dinner in the tea-houses/lodges where we spend the night and lunch on our way to next destination. Authentic Nepalese, Tibetan, continental meals and Indian cuisine are common choices in the menu.
Kanchanjunga Base camp trek is a moderate trek. Travelers who can walk up to 6-7 hours a day on an uphill and downhill trail will consider this trip fulfilling and enjoyable. It is a good idea to prepare for the Kanchanjunga trek by jogging and exercising regularly at least for a month prior to the start. Trekking to the Kanchanjunga Base Camp should be relatively easy for those who have experience in walking/trekking in high altitudes. Determination, good physical health, positive attitude and average physical fitness are good preconditions for a successful accomplishment of the trek. Past hiking experience would be an asset but no technical skills are required for this trip. Participants with pre-existing medical conditions such as heart, lung, and blood diseases should inform Fourteen Summit before booking the trek.
The best time for trekking to the Kanchanjunga Base Camp is during spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November). The temperature is moderate and guarantees amazing views throughout the trip. Although this trek can be undertaken during winter, the cold temperature might not be suitable for everyone.
Fourteen Summit has compiled a list of necessary equipment, personal medical supplies and symptoms of medical condition likely to face during trekking / peak climbing. Also, please do understand that items listed below should be considered as an essential summary.
We highly recommend you to be familiar with all of your equipment and basic understanding of medical Conditions related to high elevation.
Your document to travel to Nepal:
Valid passport, 2 extra passport size photos, airline tickets
Separate photocopies of passport, visa form (easily obtained at Kathmandu airport)
Dollars in cash for purchasing Nepalese visa at Kathmandu airport
Credit cards, bank/ATM/cash machine cards for withdrawing funds from cash machines
Accessories:
Sleeping bag rated to zero degrees F
Headlamp with spare bulbs and batteries
Small pad or combination lock-to-lock trek bag
Basic First Aid Kit (see Health and Medicinal)
Large plastic bags – for keeping items dry inside trek bag
Daypack (approximately 2500 to 3000 cubic inches)
Water bottles
Toiletries
Small wash towel
Rain coat
Personal Clothing items
Head:
Sun hat or scarf
Light balaclava or warm fleece hat
Sunglasses with UV protection
Upper Body:
T-shirts
Weight thermal tops
Fleece jacket or pullover
Fleece Wind-Stopper jacket (optional)
Waterproof (preferably breathable fabric) shell jacket
Down vest and/or jacket (optional)
Hands:
Lightweight gloves
Heavyweight gloves or mittens with a waterproof shell outer
Lower Body:
Underwear
Hiking shorts
Lightweight cotton long pants
Light and expedition weight thermal bottoms
Fleece or wool pants
Waterproof (preferably breathable fabric) shell pants
Feet:
Thick, warm wool hiking socks
Hiking boots with spare laces
Camp shoes (sneakers and/or sandals)
Personal Hygiene:
Personal hygiene supplies;
Two tubes lip sun cream, at least 1 large tube regular sun cream (min. factor 30), some after-sun lotion in case you do get a sunburn
One toothpaste/brush set;
One hand sanitizer gel
1 (fast drying) synthetic towel
Medical Supplies:
Personal prescription medications; Please let your leader know about any medical issues before the climb.
Small personal first-aid kit; (Simple and Light): first-aid tape, plasters (Band-Aids),alcohol-free wipes for cuts, personal medications, etc. (The leaders will have more extensive first-aid kits)
One skin blister repair kit
Anti-diarrhea pills (Imodium) (one regular package)
Anti-headache medication (Aspirin or Ibuprofen) (one regular package)
One small bottle cough and/or cold medicine.
One course antibiotics for chest infection, available locally at chemist shop or pharmacy with no doctor’s prescription.
One course antibiotics for stomach infection, available locally at chemist shop or pharmacy with no doctor’s prescription.
One small bottle anti-altitude sickness medication: Diamox (Acetylzolamide), available locally, for more about this medication, please contact us or your doctor
One small bottle of water purification tablets (needs to contain silver-ions AND chlorine) or a water filter or UV sterilizer.
Earplugs
Extra prescription glasses/contact lens. Contact lens wearers, please bring glasses in case of emergency.